speed as compared with the cumbersome, heavier floats. This city is
built for business as well as for pleasure.
These Plasdenites enjoy an invention in the form of a machine that
renders music when acted upon by air, and, at certain times, also by
water. It is inspiring to listen to these Siren strains as the music
city passes another floating abode.
Excursion parties go on this music city and remain at one or another of
its famous hotels as long as they wish.
[Illustration: A Floating Palace and a Floating City.]
The most refined feature of this water life is seen in the floating
mansions, of which there are many thousands. These are built in such a
manner that the wildest storms of the ocean can do no more than set the
mansion a rocking, for the structures that venture far away from
shore are very large, and surrounded by many acres of attachments.
It is delightful to live in one of these water mansions, go to any
chosen harbor, remain as long as desired and, taking your choice of
countries, dwell among the icebergs or in the tropical regions. People
of delicate health can shift to any climate and change location as often
as desired. This style of retired life is now the most popular of all in
this peculiar world of Plasden.
The educated people are a very bright class; they have made great
progress in manufacturing. This implies a long list of notable
inventions in every branch of industry. It is strange that these
brilliant inventors never paid attention to air travel. However, they
have perfected submarine navigation to a nicety that would be teasing to
the infant efforts that we have thus far made.
The people of this far away orb have greatly surpassed us in controlling
and utilizing the three distinct forces which are quite similar to
electricity, and these are the wizard forces that furnish the power used
to drive the motors and engines, not only of the floating cities, but
also of the fixed abodes.
By a comparative study I ascertained that we have over six thousand
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